News

Arts and business news from around the country.

Posted by Mica Scalin

Mica Scalin is the Co-Founder of Another Limited Rebellion, which helps businesses and individuals devleop their own creative practices to grow and succeed. She has worked in communications, marketing, and creative development for Showtime Networks, CBS, and NBC Universal. She was the Head of Communications for the nonprofit JDub and has produced and curated numerous art and cultural exhibitions and events.

Dozens of times in the past few years I’ve been in a room of professionals in non-arts related fields (think engineering, manufacturing, energy, finance) and asked the question: “Do you need creativity to succeed at your job?” In this time, I’ve seen the show of hands go from less-than-half the group to 99% of the room. Not only are they aware they need it, they are quick to articulate why; innovation and differentiation, marketing and customer engagement, recruitment and culture building. BUT when I ask a follow up question to the same people: “Would you call yourself creative?” only 2-3 hands are raised and tentatively at that. This is the discrepancy we think is essential to address.

Window of Opportunity

I loved the story that was told in Americans for the Arts’ 2013 BCA Survey of Business Support for the Arts. It absolutely validated what we had been seeing with our clients and helped us to hone in on how best to offer something they could really use.

Only a small percentage of the responders said they supported the arts because it helped their businesses grow or meet corporate objectives. On the other hand, a great majority said they would increase contributions to the arts if it increased their businesses profitability.

Now, while it is very unlikely that we could actually get the data to prove our art engagements affect bottom lines, there is another angle to come at this same issue because 59% said they would increase contributions if it was demonstrated that the arts promote employee creativity and growth. Any business that invests in employee growth and creativity does it because they believe it will increase profitability and impact their bottom line.

We know that arts can promote creativity and growth in individuals in so many ways but the challenge is how to do this in a way that reflects a businesses needs.

Sharing Practice

Turn over my business card and you will see the words “Creativity Is A Practice”. I love seeing the “ah-ha moment” on people’s faces when they read those words. It is like a muscle that gets exercised, those who practice it, have more of its power available to them. Most importantly, it is a way of thinking about creativity that makes its value available to anyone.

When we share our practice we make ourselves vulnerable by exposing the not-quite-right, the trials and errors and the outright failures. This in itself is helpful because it demonstrates that creating something great requires a lot of messiness and uncertainty in the process. Becoming comfortable with such ambiguities and developing a kind of resilience is how artists survive and grow.

Seeing how artists must continually put un-finished, in-complete work out for critique in order to improve their work, sets a great example for those in businesses that are struggling to get ahead. In an environment not necessarily conducive to the relentless iterative, trial and error processes that innovation requires, artists can provide a model.

Times Are Changing

Dozens of times in the past few years I’ve been in a room of professionals in non-arts related fields (think engineering, manufacturing, energy, finance) and asked the question: “Do you need creativity to succeed at your job?” In this time, I’ve seen the show of hands go from less-than-half the group to 99% of the room. Not only are they aware they need it, they are quick to articulate why; innovation and differentiation, marketing and customer engagement, recruitment and culture building. BUT when I ask a follow up question to the same people: “Would you call yourself creative?” only 2-3 hands are raised and tentatively at that. This is the discrepancy we think is essential to address. If people feel so alienated from their own creativity how can truely value and appreciate the labor of artists?

Window of Opportunity

I loved the story that was told in Americans for the Arts’ 2013 BCA Survey of Business Support for the Arts. It absolutely validated what we had been seeing with our clients and helped us to hone in on how best to offer something they could really use.

Only a small percentage of the responders said they supported the arts because it helped their businesses grow or meet corporate objectives. On the other hand, a great majority said they would increase contributions to the arts if it increased their businesses profitability.

Now, while it is very unlikely that we could actually get the data to prove our art engagements affect bottom lines, there is another angle to come at this same issue because 59% said they would increase contributions if it was demonstrated that the arts promote employee creativity and growth. Any business that invests in employee growth and creativity does it because they believe it will increase profitability and impact their bottom line.

We know that arts can promote creativity and growth in individuals in so many ways but the challenge is how to do this in a way that reflects a businesses needs.

Sharing Practice

Turn over my business card and you will see the words “Creativity Is A Practice”. I love seeing the “ah-ha moment” on people’s faces when they read those words. It is like a muscle that gets exercised, those who practice it, have more of its power available to them. Most importantly, it is a way of thinking about creativity that makes its value available to anyone.

When we share our practice we make ourselves vulnerable by exposing the not-quite-right, the trials and errors and the outright failures. This in itself is helpful because it demonstrates that creating something great requires a lot of messiness and uncertainty in the process. Becoming comfortable with such ambiguities and developing a kind of resilience is how artists survive and grow.

Seeing how artists must continually put un-finished, in-complete work out for critique in order to improve their work, sets a great example for those in businesses that are struggling to get ahead. In an environment not necessarily conducive to the relentless iterative, trial and error processes that innovation requires, artists can provide a model.

- See more at: http://blog.americansforthearts.org/node/95091/draft#sthash.qmwTMRSs.dpuf

Times Are Changing

Dozens of times in the past few years I’ve been in a room of professionals in non-arts related fields (think engineering, manufacturing, energy, finance) and asked the question: “Do you need creativity to succeed at your job?” In this time, I’ve seen the show of hands go from less-than-half the group to 99% of the room. Not only are they aware they need it, they are quick to articulate why; innovation and differentiation, marketing and customer engagement, recruitment and culture building. BUT when I ask a follow up question to the same people: “Would you call yourself creative?” only 2-3 hands are raised and tentatively at that. This is the discrepancy we think is essential to address. If people feel so alienated from their own creativity how can truely value and appreciate the labor of artists?

Window of Opportunity

I loved the story that was told in Americans for the Arts’ 2013 BCA Survey of Business Support for the Arts. It absolutely validated what we had been seeing with our clients and helped us to hone in on how best to offer something they could really use.

Only a small percentage of the responders said they supported the arts because it helped their businesses grow or meet corporate objectives. On the other hand, a great majority said they would increase contributions to the arts if it increased their businesses profitability.

Now, while it is very unlikely that we could actually get the data to prove our art engagements affect bottom lines, there is another angle to come at this same issue because 59% said they would increase contributions if it was demonstrated that the arts promote employee creativity and growth. Any business that invests in employee growth and creativity does it because they believe it will increase profitability and impact their bottom line.

We know that arts can promote creativity and growth in individuals in so many ways but the challenge is how to do this in a way that reflects a businesses needs.

Sharing Practice

Turn over my business card and you will see the words “Creativity Is A Practice”. I love seeing the “ah-ha moment” on people’s faces when they read those words. It is like a muscle that gets exercised, those who practice it, have more of its power available to them. Most importantly, it is a way of thinking about creativity that makes its value available to anyone.

When we share our practice we make ourselves vulnerable by exposing the not-quite-right, the trials and errors and the outright failures. This in itself is helpful because it demonstrates that creating something great requires a lot of messiness and uncertainty in the process. Becoming comfortable with such ambiguities and developing a kind of resilience is how artists survive and grow.

Seeing how artists must continually put un-finished, in-complete work out for critique in order to improve their work, sets a great example for those in businesses that are struggling to get ahead. In an environment not necessarily conducive to the relentless iterative, trial and error processes that innovation requires, artists can provide a model.

- See more at: http://blog.americansforthearts.org/node/95091/draft#sthash.qmwTMRSs.dpuf

Comments

More News

Every year, Americans for the Arts through its Business Committee for the Arts, honors the 10 best businesses partnering with the arts in America. As today’s business landscape continues to shift, companies need talent that...

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company The Tony Award-winning director founded the eponymous organization in 2002 with a mission “to celebrate the rich tradition of black storytelling while giving voice to bold new artists...

This year's BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America honorees were in the September 30 issues of Forbes Magazine. Read more about this year's honorees: Churchill Downs Fifth Third Bank Fosun International...

We might work in the arts field, but our day-to-day work looks like any other business. We stare at Excel charts, spend hours on conference calls, write reports, and try to find the bottom of our never-ending email inboxes. Like...

Business Contributions to the Arts: 2018 Edition is the second edition published by The Conference Board and Americans for the Arts of the annual study. Conducted in the summer of 2018, the survey garnered 132 responses from...

Square and Cheyenne River Youth Project will receive the David Rockefeller pARTnership Award at the BCA 10 Gala on October 2, 2018 in New York City. Click here to learn more about the BCA 10. "Our hope with the project, “Lakota...

Americans for the Arts is excited to honor UMB at the BCA 10 Gala on October 2, 2018 in New York City. Click here to learn more about the BCA10. “It is an honor to be recognized among this group of distinguished and innovative...

Americans for the Arts is excited to honor West Bend Mutual Insurance at the BCA 10 Gala on October 2, 2018 in New York City. Click here to learn more about the BCA10. “The arts can have a profound impact on people of all...

Americans for the Arts is excited to honor Fifth Third Bank at the BCA 10 Gala on October 2, 2018 in New York City. Click here to learn more about the BCA 10. “Fifth Third Bank is committed to building thriving and vibrant...

“As a company committed to improving lives, Phillips 66 is proud to support the arts. Our communities are enriched by the arts, precisely because art touches and changes lives in ways that are positive and profound. It’s one...

September 9-15 is National Arts in Education Week! Passed by Congress in 2010, House Resolution 275 designates the week beginning with the second Sunday in September as National Arts in Education Week. During this week, the...

Americans for the Arts is excited to honor The Standard at the BCA 10 Gala on October 2, 2018 in New York City. Click here to learn more about the BCA10. “Fostering an appreciation for the arts helps build a foundation for...